ll> 



BULLETIN 664, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 



a platform on (rucks through long tunnels to private warehouses. 

 In some instances the unloading was direct from the car on the 

 same level as the house. This was especially true at platforms of 

 cold-storage warehouses. Some of the warehouses used 4-wheeled 

 trucks exclusively, while others used both 2-wheeled and 4-wheeled 

 trucks. In one place, delivery was made direct from the cars on the 

 float to a private warehouse. Whatever the manner of unloading 

 happened to be, the experimental cases received exactly the same 

 treatment as the other cases in the shipment. 



Eggs received at various terminals in experimental shipments were 

 examined individually, and charted on a diagram similar to that 

 used by the investigators at the point of origin. A comparison of 

 the two diagrams showed at a glance the damage which had occurred 

 during transit to each individual egg in the case. 



RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION. 



FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO TRANSIT DAMAGE. 



A study of the conditions surrounding the transportation of eggs 

 leads to the conclusion that the damage referable to transit may be re- 

 duced to less than 1 per cent, provided the eggs are shipped in car- 

 lots, packed in good, well-made, standard cases, with new medium 

 or heavier fillers and flats, with properly placed and suitable cushions 

 at top and bottom, and with cases tightly stowed and efficiently 

 braced in the car. As a rule the average well-packed, well-handled 

 carlot shipment shows a damage of less than 2 per cent. 



Table 1. — Damage in transit to eggs in well-stowed cars. 



Experi- 



Damaged 



Experi- 



Damaged 



ment 



eggs per 



ment 



eggs per 



No. 



case. 



No. 



per case. 



5117 



2.0 



5114 



3.5 



5118 



3.5 



5126 



3.5 



5120 



3.0 



5131 



3.5 



5121 



1.5 



5139 



4.0 



5122 



2.0 



•5150 



4.5 



5124 



2.0 



51. VI 



5.0 



5127 



2.5 



5171 



4.0 



5129 



4.5 



5173 



2.0 



5130 



3.0 



5177 



4.0 



5132 



5.0 



5181 



3.5 



5135 



3.0 



5137 



4.0 



5104 



3.0 



5105 



4.0 



5172 



5.0 



5146 



3.5 



Table 1 shows the damage observed in some cars which, well 

 stowed, buffed with either straw or wood, and well braced, traveled 

 without any shifting of the load: all were handled during transit 

 according to the usual railroad routine. Viewed from the aspect of 

 eggs per case, the number is small. Viewed in the light of the egg 

 trad" in the IJnited States, the damage is still sufficiently great to 





